Autumn is the hardest season
by AStitchedUpHeart
Summary: 'All he knew was there and then, with Hermione in his arms and in his heart.' / Over the years, Ron knew that it really /was/ love between him and Hermione


_**Written for Fanfiction: School of Imagination and Creativity: Maths Assessment1, the Big Sis/Lil' Sis Competition: Round 3, Camp Potter: Campfire Songs, Week 3 and the Hogwarts Classes Category Competition: Arithmancy**_

**A.N - This is for you, Anna! Thank you for being an awesome co-host of Hugs and Happiness and an awesome person in general! (I hope I haven't bollocked Romione up for you too much!)**

**Autumn is the hardest season**

~o~

_'Sometimes we're holding angels,_

_and we never even know'_

_- Holding On and Letting Go, Ross Copperman_

~o~

When Ron and Hermione first met, it was safe to say there was a mutual disliking between the pair. She thought him as immature and big-headed, and he thought her a nerdy bookworm. However, when he and Harry saved her from the troll by knocking it out with it's own club, feelings began to change; he no longer saw her as the rule-abiding girl he first saw. (It was even the spell that she attempted to teach him that had helped knock the troll out). Of course, she still tried to right them from wrong, but she had an appreciation of living life a little more dangerously after that incident.

Ron and Hermione were friends.

Every single year, Ron said he'd start again with trying to be the perfect friend for Hermione. Problems arose however. In the third year, Crookshanks had tried to eat Scabbers and he wasn't going to stand for that. In the fourth year, she believed Harry over him about the Goblet of Fire and he couldn't understand why she would do that. In the sixth year, he began to see Lavender. That in itself was a big mistake, but he needed to see whether she'd react to it or not. On the outside she didn't show anything, but by this time, he knew her well enough to see what she was hiding. In that moment when he stumbled upon Harry and her talking in the deserted classroom, he thought that just maybe, she _might_ have feelings for him after all.

Each and every time she nearly died, Ron nearly choked up: when she was petrified, when he saw her approach Remus in werewolf form, when she was injured in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Each time she came back stronger though. He couldn't help but admire her strength and resoluteness. Sometimes when he fell asleep, he'd have a nightmare about her finally not being able to survive. He'd wake sweating and breathing heavily whenever this happened. He couldn't explain to himself why he was feeling this way, but deep down, there was this little nagging suspicion: you feel like this because you care.

Ron and Hermione were best friends.

When Ron left Harry and Hermione in the hunt for the Horcruxes, he felt as though he'd left part of his heart behind with them there in the tent. It wouldn't be until much later that he realised that he had indeed done that; he had given his heart to Hermione. Only she hadn't accepted it. He knew he had to return, if only to make his heart whole again; it was hard living with a broken heart.

He had never thought that she would be angry at him when he returned, he thought that she'd be relieved and maybe throw her self into his arms and kiss him senseless. Or at least, be relieved. But no, she was livid and if he was honest with himself, Ron could see why. Her heart was black in that moment, she felt no remorse for how much Ron felt belittled by her. Hermione could be a ticking time-bomb, and he just so happened to be the spark of fire that set it off.

It was during the battle that Ron realised exactly how he felt (and so did Hermione, it seemed). They'd come so close to dying so many times before, but this was the final battle: the culmination of everything they'd worked towards over the previous seven years. Ron knew the chance of living was decreased at least thrice fold, so he _had _to tell her exactly how he felt.

Only she got there first.

His heart caught in his mouth when he saw her face near his, and when she kissed him he had never felt happier in his life. He finally thought he knew the meaning of true love. He didn't care that Harry was there, he didn't see the battle rage around them and he didn't even hear the basilisk fangs as they cascaded to the floor. All he knew was there and then, with Hermione in his arms and in his heart.

Ron and Hermione were lovers.

It was strange at first, being in a relationship. They both felt like they had to act differently, but it felt unnatural to them. They soon fell into a compromise, the bickering would never go away but there was an element of love and intimacy that was never there before. It was awkward at first, what with both of them imagining what it would be like for months, but they soon fell into a routine.

That routine was broken come autumn. Hermione returned to Hogwarts and Ron was suddenly alone again. It reminded him too much of the time when he'd abandoned her before. He tried to write letters but he wasn't the greatest with words: he preferred to show Hermione how he felt rather than tell her. He saw her every Hogsmeade trip, but a few hours every couple of months wasn't enough time to heal the hole in his heart.

Of course he wanted Hermione to do well, but there might've been a tiny part of him that wished that she didn't return to Hogwarts, so that she could spend her time with him. There was only so much he could say through letters, and the birthday card he sent her for her nineteenth birthday.

There were days when all he could do was sit and think of her. Harry would try to distract him. 'Exploding Snap, Ron?' 'How about we work on that Auror assignment together?' Nothing worked. He knew he was being a little ridiculous, but after all the years of not having her, was it too much to ask to have more than a few months together, before she was taken away again?

Ron was full of different emotions the morning that Hermione would finally leave Hogwarts: relief that she'd finally be back to him. Worry in case she didn't want to go back to him. Anticipation of having her all for himself. Happiness that he could see her again. Love. When she stepped off the train, for the last time, that was what filled Ron up most. His heart seemed to swell as he saw her face appear in front of him... finally. She smiled and walked over to him.

'I've missed you so much, Ron' she said, as she hugged him.

'I love you, Hermione.'

Ron and Hermione were soul mates.


End file.
